Trump admits he didn't know what a red card was before calling FIFA to reinstate Balogun

Donald Trump admitted on Monday that he “didn’t know what the hell a red card was” before calling FIFA president Gianni Infantino to have Folarin Balogun’s red card rescinded, as the political fallout from his intervention in USMNT affairs continued to escalate.

The US President made the confession during a White House Oval Office event celebrating the launch of Trump Accounts, a government-backed children’s investment programme. Republican Senator Ted Cruz used the occasion to publicly thank Trump for the move, telling him: “On behalf of all Americans, thank you for getting rid of that ridiculous red card… it was spectacular.”

Trump, who confirmed he had spoken directly with Infantino before the decision was reversed, showed little awareness of the sport’s basic rules. “I didn’t know what the hell a red card was,” he told reporters. “When I found out, I said, ‘you got to be kidding.’” He also claimed the referee who issued the card was “a little bit suspect” and insisted the incident was simply “two guys running full speed that happened to crash into each other.”

Despite the global backlash from the footballing community, Trump appeared unbothered, telling the room: “Nobody cares about that, right?” He also offered a broader self-assessment: “I’m a person that loves sports and was a good athlete and I understand sports really well, really well.”

Cruz’s praise and Trump’s comments have drawn a sharp contrast between the reception inside American conservative circles — where the intervention has been welcomed — and the reaction from the wider football world, which has responded with near-universal condemnation. The episode has raised serious questions about the integrity of FIFA’s disciplinary process and the organisation’s relationship with the US government ahead of the 2026 World Cup, which the United States is co-hosting.

Balogun was originally sent off during a USMNT fixture after a collision that Trump and his allies argue did not warrant a dismissal. Following Trump’s call to Infantino, the red card was suspended, allowing the forward to remain eligible for selection — a decision that has prompted fury from opponents, officials, and football governing bodies internationally.